Welcome to the Trudl Zipper Dance Institute (TZDI) at the Colburn School!
I am humbled and honored to be a part of the newest chapter of this historic performing arts school. The Colburn School is truly an institution of the Los Angeles performing arts community, and our dance institute is lovingly named for the innovative dancer, choreographer and visual artist who inspired both the Colburn family and music and dance lovers in our community.
It’s in Zipper’s honor that our mission is to provide a rich performing arts education to anyone aspiring to pursue a life enhanced—and enchanted—by dance.
From youth programs to our pre-professional Dance Academy to adult classes, Colburn offers a vast variety of styles—our pillars being tap, modern and ballet—at every level of study or exploration.
At Colburn, we’re dedicated to the beautiful tradition of passing down our beloved art forms. Our brilliant and esteemed faculty represents dancers and instructors who’ve taught and performed around the world, bringing their shared decades of experience to our local dance community. They inspire in the studio and beyond it, always researching and honing their artistic skills and practices.
For the pre-professional Dance Academy division, the curriculum is designed to challenge students to focus on the importance of detail, with the intention of elevating artistry and technical excellence while celebrating our purpose and love of dance as well as the joy it brings to both performer and audience.
Classes are curated to comprise complementary techniques, providing diverse instruction to cultivate well-rounded, versatile dancers that will shape the future of our art form.
As faculty, we aim to maintain a studio environment of openness, curiosity and support in which to nurture our passionate young artists. Outside the studio, our program is designed to enrich our students’ minds by exposing them to a full range of dance and art forms, encouraging creative thinking and artistic integrity that they will take with them into their careers and lives beyond dance.
Being a part of the wider Colburn community gives the Dance Academy students the special opportunity to learn and grow with their musical contemporaries from the Music Academy and Conservatory. Students will have opportunities to collaborate, rehearse and perform together throughout the year. Additionally, we provide seminars and programs with an important focus on complete wellness to help support our dancers in their training.
We look forward to meeting you, and sharing all that Colburn has to offer. Let’s celebrate dance in Los Angeles together!
Janie Taylor 2024–25 Artistic Director, Trudl Zipper Dance Institute Colburn School